Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe has reaffirmed his confidence in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to successfully host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Motsepe revealed that several countries have already expressed interest in hosting the edition, but insisted that the 2027 tournament will go ahead in East Africa as planned.
The three nations jointly hosted last year’s African Nations Championship (CHAN), a competition restricted to players based in their domestic leagues.
“Part of being a leader is dealing with difficult and sometimes unpleasant decisions,” Motsepe said.
“I have a duty to develop football across Africa. I cannot concentrate the game only in countries with the best infrastructure, and I am confident that AFCON in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will be enormously successful.
“We are not going to take the competition away from these countries,” he added.
AFCON 2027 will be the first time the tournament is staged in the region since Ethiopia hosted the competition in 1976.
It will also be the last edition before the Africa Cup of Nations switches to a four-year cycle, having traditionally been held every two years since its inception in 1957.
Motsepe also praised Morocco’s hosting of the current tournament, admitting that it had set a new benchmark, but dismissed concerns over East Africa’s readiness to host the 2027 edition.
“This has been the most successful AFCON in the history of the competition,” Motsepe told reporters in Rabat on the eve of Sunday’s final between hosts Morocco and Senegal.
“The quality of football has been world-class, as have the stadiums and infrastructure.”
